Bed bugs are tiny. Really tiny. But they're not invisible to the naked eye. If you know what you're looking for, you will be able to see them. But they're not the only tiny pests that get into South Carolina homes, so it can be difficult to know what bug is bugging you. Let's talk about how you can easily identify bed bugs and the signs they leave around.

Eggs

It all begins with an itty bitty egg. Bed bug eggs are only about 1mm in length. That makes them difficult to see. But if you know where to look and what to look for, you could see bed bugs before they hatch:

Bed Bugs eggs are a pale color. They may be alone or in small batches.
A female bed bug can lay as many as 500 eggs in her lifetime.
You're most likely to find eggs tucked into creases, crevices, cracks, seams, and stitching on furniture.

Babies

A bed bug starts life as a nymph, not a larva. These nymphs are fully equipped to crawl around your home and bite your skin. In fact, they are the bed bugs that are most likely to bite you more frequently, and in the daytime. Look for these physical characteristics of an immature nymph:

It is only about 1mm in length, just a little smaller than its egg.
It is the same pale white color as its egg.
It will have a seed-like shape.
It has 6 legs, 2 antennae, and 3 body parts.
It has transparent skin. This will allow you to see the blood in its abdomen if it has had a blood meal.
You may see black excrement inside its body.

5 Stages Of Development

As the bed bug grows, it will pass through 5 instars, from newly hatched baby bed bugs to full-grown adult. In each stage, it will change slightly in appearance. Nymphs will:

Grow less transparent (though never fully opaque, even as adults).
Grow to be tan, darker tan, and eventually a rusty brown color.
Grow from 1mm to 4.5mm.
Have more noticeable black excrement in its abdomen.
Have more defined horizontal creases on its abdomen.

Adult Bed Bugs

At their full size of about 4.5mm, bed bugs are still small. But it doesn't matter how big they are because you're not likely to see one unless you find their hiding place inside your home. Adults come out at night when carbon dioxide levels rise due to humans exhaling during sleep. Here's what they will look like if you find them:

They will be grouped with other bed bugs.
They will be in an area with black excrement, shed skins, dried bloodstains, and tiny white eggs.
They will be seed-shaped and have clearly defined creases on their abdomens.
They will be rusty brown color. (Keep in mind that they might appear almost black in certain lighting.)

Tips

Do you have a bed bug strategy? You should. Bed bug infestations in the United States are growing at an alarming rate. Use these quick tips to help you prevent an infestation:

When you travel, always check for bed bugs in the rooms where you stay.
When spending the night somewhere, put laundry items in a sealed plastic bag. You don't need special bags. A trash bag with a bread tie works well.
Wash all laundry items when you return from a trip.
Inspect the creases of your luggage and other bags.
If you find an item with bed bugs, and it can be put in the dryer for 30 minutes, this is a good way to treat it. The heat of your dryer will kill bed bugs in all stages of development.

Bed Bug Control

If a bed bug infestation occurs in your South Carolina home, remember that the friendly service team at Aiken Pest Control is standing by to help. Reach out to us. We know what is required to eliminate all the bed bugs in your home.